--- title: HR 1243. Georgia Next Generation 9-1-1 Fund; authorize creation - CA collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr1243 cite_as: HR 1243, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1243 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1243.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1243/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72891 date: 2026-05-11 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1242.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1244.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 1444 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1243.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 1243 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-05-11 last_action: Effective Date 2026-07-01 sponsors: - Charles Martin - Jon Burns - Carolyn Hugley - Clint Crowe - Beth Camp - Karla Drenner - Timothy Bearden text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1243/2025 upstream_id: 2109982 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - 9-1-1 systems - constitutional amendment - emergency services - state funding - ballot measure --- # HR 1243. Georgia Next Generation 9-1-1 Fund; authorize creation - CA ## Text House Resolution 1243 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE) By: Representatives Martin of the 49th, Burns of the 159th, Hugley of the 141st, Crowe of the 118th, Camp of the 135th, and others A RESOLUTION Proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to authorize creation of the Georgia Next Generation 9-1-1 Fund; to provide for submission of this amendment for ratification or rejection; and for other purposes. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: SECTION 1. Article III, Section IX of the Constitution is amended in Paragraph VI by adding a new subparagraph to read as follows: "(s) The General Assembly is authorized to provide by general law for the creation of the Georgia Next Generation 9-1-1 Fund. The General Assembly may provide by general law for the dedication and deposit of revenues raised from specified sources for the purposes of the fund into the fund. Moneys in the fund shall be exclusively used for the expansion, maintenance, and operation of 9-1-1 systems throughout the state, including the transition to Next Generation 9-1-1, as such term may be defined by the General Assembly, and all expenses related thereto. Any other appropriation from the Georgia Next Generation 9-1-1 Fund shall be void. Contributions and revenues deposited to the fund shall not lapse and shall not be subject to the limitations of subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph or of Article VII, Section III, Paragraph II." SECTION 2. The above proposed amendment to the Constitution shall be published and submitted as provided in Article X, Section I, Paragraph II of the Constitution. The ballot submitting the above proposed amendment shall have written or printed thereon the following: "( ) YES Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to authorize the General ( ) NO Assembly to dedicate certain existing revenues, including revenues reallocated by law, to a nonlapsing fund to be used exclusively for the expansion, maintenance, and operation of emergency 9-1-1 systems in this state?" All persons desiring to vote in favor of ratifying the proposed amendment shall vote "Yes." All persons desiring to vote against ratifying the proposed amendment shall vote "No." If such amendment shall be ratified as provided in said Paragraph of the Constitution, it shall become a part of the Constitution of this state. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia House resolution asks voters to approve a constitutional amendment letting the General Assembly create a dedicated fund for 9-1-1 systems, including the shift to Next Generation 9-1-1 technology. ### Plain-language summary Right now Georgia's Constitution restricts how the legislature can dedicate revenue to special funds. This resolution proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing the General Assembly to create the Georgia Next Generation 9-1-1 Fund by general law and to dedicate specified revenue sources to it. Money placed in the fund could only be used for expanding, maintaining, and operating 9-1-1 systems statewide, including the transition to Next Generation 9-1-1 (an upgraded, internet-based emergency call system). Any other use of the money would be void. Funds deposited would not lapse at the end of the budget year and would be exempt from certain constitutional spending limits. Because this is a constitutional amendment, it must go before Georgia voters on a ballot with a yes or no question before it can take effect. ### What it does - Proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing the General Assembly to create the Georgia Next Generation 9-1-1 Fund through a future general law. - Allows the General Assembly to dedicate specified state revenues directly into this fund by law. - Restricts fund spending exclusively to expanding, maintaining, and operating 9-1-1 systems, including the move to Next Generation 9-1-1 technology. - Declares that any appropriation from the fund for other purposes would be void. - Exempts the fund's money from lapsing at year end and from certain constitutional budget limits. - Requires the amendment to be submitted to Georgia voters for ratification or rejection on a statewide ballot. ### Who it affects Georgia voters, who will decide the amendment's fate at the ballot box, and the General Assembly, which would gain new authority to dedicate revenue. County and local 9-1-1 call centers and emergency responders across the state would benefit from any resulting dedicated funding. ### Why it matters If voters approve this amendment, lawmakers could steadily fund the costly upgrade to Next Generation 9-1-1 systems, which handle texts, photos, and better location data during emergencies, without that money disappearing into the general budget or lapsing each year. ### Key provisions - Section 1 amends Article III, Section IX, Paragraph VI of the Georgia Constitution to add a new subparagraph authorizing the Georgia Next Generation 9-1-1 Fund. - The fund's money must be used exclusively for expansion, maintenance, and operation of 9-1-1 systems, including the transition to Next Generation 9-1-1. - Any appropriation from the fund for purposes other than 9-1-1 systems is declared void. - Fund revenues do not lapse and are exempt from limits in Article VII, Section III, Paragraph II of the Constitution. - Section 2 sets the exact ballot question voters will see and requires the amendment to be ratified by voters to take effect. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-05-11) - Last action: Effective Date 2026-07-01 (2026-05-11) - Sponsors: Charles Martin, Jon Burns, Carolyn Hugley, Clint Crowe, Beth Camp, Karla Drenner, Timothy Bearden - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72891 > The history, votes, and amendments (1,444 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1243.md?full=1